How The Woman Who Got A Degree In One Direction is Legitimizing Teen Fandom
I interviewed young New Zealander Millie Lovelock for NYLON about how her Master's degree in One Direction is legitimizing teen fandom.
This article follows another I wrote about Millie for i-D in January 2016, when she was just beginning her studies.
By writing about the intelligence and creativity in fan fiction and recontextualizing it in an academic context, Millie is helping teenage music fans gain the respect and recognition they deserve.
The article discusses how young fans being liberated from gender stereotypes, expressing their sexuality and recreating the narrative about One Direction on their terms is not only empowering, but important. As marginalized people’s rights are continuously under attack, young girls can feel powerless. That’s why fandom is so valuable for helping them affirm their place in the world.